John Beckman '94 (Chair, Admissions) majored in Theatre (Design & Production) and Art History. He also trained at the Motley Theatre Design Course in London, England and the Studio School of Stage Design in Jersey City. He currently works as the Director of Exhibit and Business Development at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI), where he guides and directs the exhibit development process for the portfolio of the Museum's projects both permanent and temporary. He also manages MSI's intellectual property licensing and alternative revenue business units. Prior to MSI, John worked at Chicago Scenic Studios, Inc., managing the construction of scenery for theatre, television and special events including the Oprah Winfrey Show, DisneyQuest, and the 1996 Democratic National Convention. Prior to that, he was employed by nearby Adirondack Scenic, Inc., where we worked to create Lance Burton's theater at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. John was also a founder and Managing Director of the award-winning Visions & Voices Theatre Company (V&V), a troupe devoted to producing new plays in Chicago's Off-Loop theatre scene. One of V&V's most successful productions, Vintage Red and the Dust of the Road, was named by National Public Radio Chicago as the #2 play of the decade after the Tony®-winning August, Osage County. John also serves as the Chairman of Television Production for the nationally televised annual McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and he and his girlfriend own Flavour Cooking School in suburban Chicago.
Gail Dudack (President, Alumni Association) is the managing director of Dudack Research Group, an independent institutional research firm that provides economic, fundamental, quantitative and technical strategy and tools to mutual funds, hedge funds and private money managers. Dudack Research Group is a division of Wellington Shields & Co. LLC., a NYSE member firm that provides full service brokerage to institutions and high net worth and family accounts. Prior to setting up her own firm, Ms. Dudack was the Chief U.S. Investment Strategist for UBS AG and its predecessor firms beginning with S.G. Warburg PLC. Ms. Dudack began her Wall Street career at the Pershing division of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Inc. (now Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation).
In addition to her full time role as strategist, Ms. Dudack was the president of the Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Inc. Employees Federal Credit Union from 1977 to 1980, a trustee of the S.G. Warburg Employee Retirement Board from 1988-1995, president of the Market Technicians Association from 1985 to 1987, and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts Board of Directors from 1989-1991 and currently on the NYSSA Advisory Council. She is a founding member of the International Federation of Technical Analysts, a past arbitrator for the NASD and a past member of the Department of Labor's Business Research Advisory Council (BRAC) for consumer and producer price indices. She is a current trustee and past Chair (2003-2005) of the Securities Industry Institute, the professional education body of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). Ms. Dudack was a panelist on "Wall $treet Week with Louis Rukeyser" for over 20 years and appeared on the subsequent PBS's show "Wall Street Week with Fortune". She has been a guest on CNBC, "Nightly Business Report" (PBS) and Bloomberg TV and radio. She is a popular speaker at a variety of business and investment forums both domestically and abroad.
Ms. Dudack earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Skidmore College, where she received the Wall Street Journal Award for the most promising student in finance. In 1990, she attained the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designation awarded by the Market Technicians Association (MTA) and in early 1997, received the MTA's "Best of the Best Award" for her price analysis and market forecasting for the previous five-year period. In May 2007 she received the MTA's Annual Award honoring both her career and her contribution to the professional organization. Skidmore College presented Ms. Dudack their Special Achievement Award in June 2001 and was honored with Skidmore's Outstanding Service award in June 2010. She has contributed to several documentaries and books on the stock market and the industry and is featured in "Bull! A History of the Boom, 1982-1999" by Maggie Mahar (Harper Business 2003) and is the subject of a chapter in "The Heretics of Finance" by Andrew W. Lo and Jasmina Hasanhodzic (Bloomberg Press 2009).
Ms. Dudack was Co-Chair of Skidmore College's Parents Council (2009-2011), is currently President of the Skidmore Alumni Association, a member of Skidmore's Board of Directors (2011-2014) and is a member of many professional organizations including the Women's Forum Inc. where she currently serves on the Finance Committee. She resides in Westchester County with her husband and son.
David A. Castle is President of Branford Castle, Inc. and President and CEO of Branford Chain, Inc. In these positions he manages long-term Castle family control investments in small to medium-sized businesses engaged in manufacturing, distribution and consumer services. He also pursues additional, similar companies for leveraged acquisition.
Prior to his involvement with the Branford companies, he was a Regional Director for the Santa Fe Steakhouse restaurant chain and previously was a Risk Management Specialist with GE Capital/Monogram Bank. He is a board member of Branford Castle, Inc., Branford Chain, Inc., BQK Holdings, Inc. (formerly Jered Industries, Inc.), Carmel Car & Limousine Service, CMP Global Ltd, Horizon Investments Ltd, and American Condenser & Coil LLC. He was formerly a board member of Land 'N' Sea Distributing, Inc., Luther's Bar-B-Q, Inc., and E-Mon LLC.
Mr. Castle is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Skidmore College (B.A.), and received his J.D. from the Cornell Law School with a concentration in Business Law and Regulation. He is licensed to practice law in Ohio (inactive status) and New York. He is an avid recreational cyclist, having completed an epic 3,600-mile transcontinental ride to raise funds for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Jimmy Fund. He is also an instrumented-rated private pilot and a recreational scuba diver.
Natasha Fahey (Athletics) graduated from Skidmore in 2007, and currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts, where she works for a large international law firm. While at Skidmore, Natasha was a two-sport varsity athlete—a member of
the Women's Field Hockey and Women's Lacrosse teams. Natasha also played on the club Women's Ice Hockey team and was the 2007 Class Secretary, as well as an SGA Senator. Natasha enjoys long distance running, traveling, and representing the Friends of Skidmore Athletics on the Alumni Board. Please feel free to reach out to Natasha with any ideas or questions.
Victoria "Vicki" Tisch '94 -- I majored in Education, and am currently Director of Marketing Operations for a children's book publishing firm in New York City. While at Skidmore, I spent three years on the Residential Life staff, explored club life as a member of the New Hope Gospel Ensemble, and had the honor of participating in summer collaborative research projects with Skidmore professors in both education and biology.
I volunteer for the College because of how much the Skidmore experience meant to me, both academically and personally -- and because of the ongoing impact those years have had on my life. I received an extraordinary education, and made lifelong friends. I am proud to be part of the past and future of this unique institution.
I have also been our Class Secretary since our fifth reunion. (Keep the updates coming, '94!)
Sibyl Waterman Haley, '71 lives in Portland, ME with her two Golden Retrievers, and works in Senator Olympia Snowe's office. Originally from Iowa, she came a long way from home for college and it was a life-altering experience. Her four years at Skidmore greatly enriched her, leading to a job in the Admissions Office for several years after graduation. Traveling around the country to "sell" the College reinforced and enhanced her allegiance to Skidmore, and in the ensuing years she has been a very active alumna. She has held a variety of volunteer posts: Maine Club President, Class Secretary, Class Agent, AAC, Fund Chair, REGPAC member (Chair, Reunion Giving), National FOP Chair, and four terms (including the current one) on the Alumni Board, with one as Alumna Trustee. She has been active in all 1971 reunion activities, and received the Outstanding Service Award in 2006. Her passion for Skidmore is a driving one in her life, and she is still spreading that Skidmore message zealously. She is delighted that her nephew graduated in 1996 and that two cousins are current students.
